Tourism Minister Lockwood Smith has announced new appointments to the Board of the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute.

The New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute (MACI) is established under the New Zealand Maori Arts & Crafts Institute Act 1963 with the purpose to encourage, foster and promote all types of Maori culture and the practice and appreciation of Maori arts and crafts.

The new appointments are:

 Chairman: Robert McFarlane, Managing Director of Cable Price (NZ) Limited. Mr McFarlane was born in Rotorua and is of Te Arawa / Tuwharetoa descent. He was Trustee and Secretary of the Rahui Trust at Whakarewarewa between 1974 and 1977, and has been Trustee/Secretary of the Whakamaru-Mangaiti Farm Trust since 1993.

 Ani Waaka, principle of Ontos Consulting;

 David Thomas, Assistant Managing Director for Winstone Wallboards.

 Sir Howard Morrison, renowned Rotorua-based entertainer and active participant in the Tourism Industry;

 June Grant, owner-operator of Pohutu Prints Originals, an art-based business manufacturing screen-printed clothing;

 Judith Stanway, partner in Spicer & Oppenhiem and Chair of the MACI Advisory Committee;

 Ray Watson, Chief Executive of Lakeland Health Limited in Rotorua and a member of the MACI Advisory Committee;

“The new appointees have been carefully selected to balance cultural interests with the requirement that the Board has the necessary commercial skills and experience to ensure the Board’s success,” said Dr Smith.

“The new Board has the skills and expertise to guide the Institute through its next three years, including oversight of its economic recovery and implementation of its redevelopment programme,” Dr Smith concluded.

ENDS

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